Tri-Rail, facing cuts that could put it out of service, now in a fight for funding
Tri-Rail has a strong legal case to force the state to reverse the $27 million funding cut that threatens to put the commuter line out of business in less than two years, officials said Friday.
But taking the Florida Department of Transportation to court should be a last resort — negotiating with the state to restore funding is the strategy most likely to yield results before Tri-Rail runs out of cash in July 2027, said David Dech, executive director for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, which operates Tri-Rail.
The board of the Regional Transportation Authority met Friday to discuss ways to respond to the cut, striking a note of optimism to counter the disturbing prediction for Tri-Rail’s future. Estimates for how much time Tri-Rail can survive have fluctuated, with officials settling on a July 2027 date at Friday’s meeting.